This invention pertains to a weld sander operable to smooth the surface of a weld cap of a weld joint between pipes and which does not have any abrasive contact with the pipe surfaces adjacent the weld.
In the nuclear industry, it is frequently necessary to verify the adequacy of a weld between sections of pipe. The weld check system requires a smooth weld surface in order that the energy waves generated by a system component properly enter into the weld. Previously, there has not been a machine which, after initial set-up, could automatically travel around the pipe and smooth the surface of the weld, taking into account any misalignment in the fit-up of the pipe sections resulting from out-of-roundness of the pipe sections and without any undercutting of the surfaces of the pipe sections. It is important that the grinding belt used to smooth the surface of the weld not touch the outside surfaces of the pipe sections,to avoid any possibility of setting up stress problems in the pipe and reducing the required minimum wall thickness of the pipe.